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The Snub of the Christ

By Chris CarpenterCBN.com Producer

CBN.com - It was a film
of great artistic merit. It was a film that generated more than
$600 million dollars in box office receipts. It was a film that
generated great interest in every corner of the globe. Most importantly,
it was a film that changed and transformed thousands of lives.

But to the surprise of very few, “The Passion of the Christ”
came away virtually empty last month when the nominations were
announced for this year’s Academy Awards.

Many Conservative Christian groups are outraged. The Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does not care. It will likely
remain silent on the matter. Some would argue that Mel Gibson’s
cinematic masterpiece did receive Oscar nominations – three
to be exact. But nods for make-up, cinematography, and original
score, are essentially the same as receiving a gift basket of
jams and jellies when others are driving away in a shiny new car.

I have heard from many people recently, everyday folks as well
as people who work in the entertainment industry, who have said
that they would have been shocked if it was nominated in any major
categories. The general consensus was that the only red carpet
Gibson or actor Jim Caviezel would be walking down on Sunday night
will be in their own living rooms.

I guess I am an idealist at heart. In “The Passion of the
Christ”, I saw a film that transcended anything Hollywood
had produced in years, perhaps ever. Isn't that what the Academy
honors -- films that stand out?

This was a movie that stood apart from the rest in so many ways.
No other film has ever come as close to accurately portraying
what Jesus Christ must have endured as this one did. With very
few exceptions it stayed true to the four Gospels of the New Testament.
One needs to look no further than the grandiose, biblically inaccurate
musings of Martin Scorsese’s “Last Temptation of Christ”
for galvanizing proof. “Temptation” received a nomination
for Best Director in 1989 I might add.

With no other studio or distributor willing to touch the project,
Gibson financed the “The Passion” himself with $35
million dollars of his own money. A risky proposition to say the
least, the film generated more than $600 million dollars around
the world. I dare say it is likely the biggest return on a personal
investment in Hollywood history.

No other film has ever been made using the actual language (Aramaic,
Hebrew, and Latin) that was used during the time Jesus Christ
walked on this earth. For that reason alone, you would think “The
Passion” would receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign
Language film. Nope. Despite the use of two dead languages that
did not serve as a barrier in the least for movie goers, the Academy
looked the other way.

But perhaps the strongest evidence that “The Passion”
was unparalleled and should have been nominated for one of the
majors, is the overwhelmingly compelling evidence that this was
a movie that changed people’s lives for the better.

While most motion pictures are nothing more than a two hour diversion
filled with cinematic eye candy that leaves a viewer feeling entertained
for a brief period, “The Passion” stirred reconciliation
in estranged relationships that were thought to be lost, brought
thousands to an understanding faith in Jesus Christ, and in one
case, influenced a murderer to turn himself in to authorities.
Not only are these firsts, they are miracles to many.

Admittedly, the film was a bloody depiction of the last hours
in the life of Jesus Christ. I don’t agree, but can understand
why some Jewish leaders say the film was anti-Semitic in the way
it portrayed Jews during that era. But I keep coming back to the
fact that this is the greatest story of all-time about the most
influential person in history. Furthermore, it was made with such
a high degree of craftsmanship and personal sacrifice. Caviezel
was struck by lightning while preaching the Sermon on the Mount
for crying out loud.

The Academy doesn’t care. On Oscar night, they will honor
a motion picture for excellence for its portrayal of either a
brilliant, eccentric millionaire, the author of a children’s
classic, a legendary musician who struggled with drug addiction,
two men having a mid-life crisis, or a washed up trainer bent
on finding the next great fighter. These are all great movies
worthy of praise. But they all fall short in having the cultural
impact or relevance that the “The Passion” has.

Gibson’s portrayal of the final 12 hours of the life of
Jesus Christ re-energized America’s faith based community.
Never has there been such a grass-roots effort to get believers
and non-believers out to the movie theater. The movement did not
go unnoticed as “The Passion” received a 2005 People’s
Choice Award for favorite drama motion picture. A nice honor for
sure, but it is not the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director,
or Best Actor.

Ultimately, the Academy’s exclusion of “The Passion”
is not a snub of Mel Gibson, Jim Caviezel, or the movie itself.
Instead, it is a clear message from Hollywood that it is turned
off by people of faith.

Online blogger Joel Rosenberg, who operates an online Web journal,
was quoted by the Religion News Service recently as saying,
“(Hollywood) can’t even bring itself to consider a
powerful, provocative film about the most influential person in
mankind. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Well said.

In the future, filmmakers with strong Christian beliefs will
continue to make amazingly provocative films of high quality about
faith that will resonate with movie goers from all walks of life.
Lives will be changed forever and people will go through life
with a better sense of purpose and grace as a result. As usual,
Hollywood will turn a deaf ear. In a broader context none of it
will matter.

If you settle in on Sunday night to watch the broadcast, remember
that Christ will always have His critics. But the only thing that
really matters is that you have Christ.

About CBN

CBN is a global ministry committed to preparing the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ through mass media. Using television and the Internet, CBN is proclaiming the Good News in 147 countries and territories, with programs and content in 62 languages.